Devon Theater for the Performing Arts

Need historical information. My Great Aunt, Rae Eleanor Ball was a violinist who played with the RKO circuit (1910-1930). I am looking for any information that shows she may have played at your theatre.
Thank you for your time.
shortykab@yahoo.com

I was just on Frankford Ave. across from the old beloved Devon today, eating lunch with an old friend. When I came out to my car, what should I see but signs plastered all over the outside of the theater : FUTURE HOME OF THE DEVON PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE! It's so exciting. Apparently, there was some agreement that these theaters would never again become movie theaters in Philadelphia. (I'm talking about, in alphabetical order, the Benner, the Devon, the Castor, the Crest, and the Tyson.) Well, they CAN become performing arts venues, as has the Keswick in Glenside. I'm so happy that someone has had the vision and energy to save this grand old theater. I'm looking forward to attending events there.

morgana544@aol.com

Dear Sir,I live in Mayfair and every time I pass the Devon Performing arts center I keep wondering when it will open, any idea? I always stop to see if anyone is around but no such luck. I was so happy to see that this was to be the future home of the performing arts right here on Frankford Ave but I cannot seem to reach anyone regarding this venue. I am very interested in filling out an application to work there in some compacity and also to enroll in your acting classes. I love the theater so much and would like the opportunity to become a part of this new center. Could you please put me in contact with someone regarding applications and enrollments? Please advise and I appreciate your time & attention to this matter. Thank you, Barbara Elia (Mayfair resident 40 yrs.)

This is the organization undertaking the project.

www.mayfaircdc.org

I agree that use of the Devon as a performing arts center sounds exciting, but I frankly have a hard time thinking of it as a "grand old theater". Compared to architectually interesting theaters on Frankford Avenue like the Mayfair and the Merben, the Devon wasn't much more than a box with seats.

For what it's worth, my brother was an usher there in the early 80s, and I worked there a couple times fixing seats, working in the candy stand, and helping with projector problems. (Although I mainly worked at the Mayfair.)

Just as an update here work has finally begun on the transformation of this venue. They've bought out the merchants that were in the front along Frankford Avenue and seem to be working. The biggest issue I can see is parking. Granted the Route 66 bus drops you at the door, there isn't much extra parking around.

Construction work is moving along. The stores have been gutted and it appears some work is taking place in the theatre. It's nice to see old theatres being saved. Too many have been lost.

The framework of the windows that are going to be where the old stores were are being installed.

Here is a 2004 article on the Devon Theater.

Just checked the public records on this theater. The Mayfair Housing Development Corporation (a neighborhood redevelopment group) bought the theater and stores for $740,000.00 in June 2004.

I met the man who's in charge of restoring the Devon Theatre when I took a walking tour of Holmesburg's main consumer business district with Fred Moore, the president of the Holmesburg Civic Association, last September 2005). And based on that brief moment I had in meeting him I can pretty much advise all of you not to have too high expectations if and when it ever reopens as a live performing arts theater. As I recall, it was a hot, summer like day, yet the man who's in charge of restoring the Devon, whose name totally escapes me now (not that it matters), was wearing a long sleeved dress shirt and tie! I mean, talk about hokey! Not only that, but his whole thinking was totally in terms of money. In brief, it was easy to see after just a few words I had with him that he didn't have an innovative bone in his body. As I watched his lips move as he conversed with Fred, I couldn't help but think, if anyone meets the definition of being a reptilian it was clearly him! All told, the entire encounter was totally creepy!

Later on last Autumn, when I rode my bike down to Mayfair to take some digital photos of the Devon Theatre (still all closed up of course, and no surprises there) I saw a sign at its main entrance saying words to the effect that this theater was being brought to you by Pennsylvania House Speaker John Perzel. And the sign might just as well have gone on to say, "So don't hold your breath!"

This is not to say that the Devon Theatre building couldn't become a classy neighborhood live performance theater. But there's just no way that could be possible -- at least in terms of its being CLASSY -- with those two men, the man in charge of restoring it who I met back in September plus John Perzel, being major players.

It also needs to be noted that the $740,000.00 that it was purchased for in June 2004 was waaaaaay too high! Had it been sold on the open market it never could've commanded that high a price. In this case, however, the Pennsylvania taxpayers, having little to no say in the matter, got bilked to the tune of that amount. And I wouldn't at all be surprised if I found out that John Perzel and family were the owners of the Devon Theatre building when it was sold for that lunatically high amount, quite similar to the scandal surrounding the history of the New Foundations Charter School, uh, which all of you know about, right?

Your right TheaterBuff. It will be no where as classy as the porno theater it once was or the asian supermarket that it was going to be before Perzel and the CDC stepped in. The high bidding stopped a market that would have just left the building abandoned in a few years and gave the CDC an opportunity to create a place where children and adults from the community could benefit. Oh and please don't turn this into a political message board. Enough of those already.

Although I'm totally certain there wasn't any correlation, I can recall how back when it had been a porno theater no one thought twice about it, and it didn't seem to contribute to Mayfair's demise in any way. I guess there was just too much positive stuff going on at that time for the Devon Thestre as a porno house to matter much to anyone. It was all very much live and let live back in that era, a much freer and happy go lucky period in Mayfair's history as it were. And rather than the Devon closing down as porno theater due to any sort of neighborhood protests it more seemed to be the case that it wasn't getting enough business to stay open. For I never went there when it was that, nor did I know anyone else who did. Later, when it reopened as a regular theater, I went there regularly, and the times I went it was doing especially well. I went to see "Raiders of the Lost Ark" there, and this when that movie was no longer a first run. And the theater was doing so well that night that I and hundreds of others had to wait outside the theater till the earlier showing was over and the theater was fully cleared of those who came to see the earlier showing before we could then get in to see the movie. And afterwards we then all had to clear out of the theater so that the next crowd after that could get in to see it! And this, as I say, for a movie that was no longer first run mind you!

Then came along the reptilian type businessmen (or whatever you prefer to call them), who were well organized, and suddenly everything in Mayfair started changing for the worse. Well meaning, honest businessmen who genuinely cared about their customers got cast aside by whatever means of hook and crook, and suddenly shopping in Mayfair or going there for entertainment became a very ugly experience. And the only reason why this new breed of businessmen was able to endure from what I can tell is because they were kept afloat by the Pennsylvania taxpayers who really had no say in the matter, and who continue not to.

To run a theater and to run it well, you have to be able to love people, just as it's true to run any business successfully. And the Mayfair of old very much thrived on that principle. But nowadays we don't have that principle going on in Mayfair really. Rather, it's people who would be much better off in jail or six feet under running everything, and with the taxpayer being given no choice but to constantly keep them afloat. All told, I wish this could be left up to the free market decide once again. For as I say, the Devon Theatre obviously was doing very well before the CDC and whatever else came along. And whenever politics appears quite relevant to why a theater shuts down, I think it should be discussed here at this website as well as elsewhere rather than dismissed as you suggest.

The Devon was not "obviously doing very well". Yes, Raiders of the Lost Ark and some other movies filled a lot of seats in the early and mid 80s, but there were many many films that did not. (Even 300 people on a Saturday night do not bring in that much money when you're only charging 99 cents a person.) Raiders ran as a second run film for 5 weeks at the Mayfair, then it went to the Devon for 4 weeks, and a few months later it came back to the Mayfair. (The Devon and the Mayfair had the same owners.) I mainly worked at the Mayfair, but went over to the Devon to help out when they got Raiders. To this day I have most of the dialogue memorized! (And there were a lot of empty seats at both theaters after the first 2 weeks.)

When the Devon closed, it was simply due to market forces: it was not generating enough income to pay the employees and the electric bill. The same owners still had it, and still had to pay taxes and insurance with it sitting empty. If they could have kept the doors open at even a small profit they would have done so. It had nothing to do with politics. The John Perzel types didn't come along until it had been closed for years.

Jack, although it was quite a long time ago and I can't remember all the details specifically, I can't see why I would have gone to see Raiders at the Devon if I could've seen it at the Mayfair, which, of course, was a much nicer theater. According to what I can recall, the Devon was doing very well because it was the last theater in Mayfair still in operation. Or...maybe I did choose to see Raiders at the Devon over seeing it at the Mayfair simply because of the much lower admission cost as you mention. Like I say, when we're talking that long ago it's hard to remember the specifics, or at least in my case simply as a customer. But since you were directly involved with the Devon during that era, I'll take your word that it wasn't doing all that well. Also, I'm pretty sure when I saw Raiders there it cost me $2 admission, if that indicates anything.

Incidentally, looking at the here and now, at the all new Mayfair Community Center that bears Perzel's name I see that they're planning to run movies in some fashion. It won't be quite the same as full movie theater going experience, of course, but, it will be interesting to see just how popularly it catches on.

As for Mayfair the way it is right now over all, in all fairness to the man who's currently trying to restore the Devon, it is a very rough place to do business at this moment, meaning that if I myself tried running a business there the way it is right now, others would probably be posting comments at this website and elsewhere saying how "reptilian" I seem to be!

As for the taxes they still had to pay on the Devon after it fell on hard times, politically speaking they should have been given a major break on this, though the case would've been much better made had it been with regards to the Mayfair Theatre, which is Mayfair's major centerpiece after all. If the Devon does eventually reopen as a live performance theater I hope at the least that it will operate tax-free (presuming it's to be a nonprofit.) Because otherwise it's going to be a long time in coming before it eventually gets its purchase and restoration costs paid off, if ever. For don't forget that with live performance theater heavy advertising on the part of the theater itself is an absolute must if it's to be successful. Movie theaters on the other hand, so long as they're showing top line movies, never have to worry about that.

When the Devon changed over from porn to regular films the admission price was 99 cents. They kept it at 99 cents for several years, then went to $1.00 because it was a pain to keep getting rolls of pennies.

The only reason I remember how long Raiders played at the Mayfair and the Devon is that once the run ended I tried to add up the number of times I had seen the film. Don't remember the exact count now, but I know it was over 100. (Keep in mind that unlike in multiplexs, the candy stand in both theaters was in the back of the auditorium. I therefore heard - and usually saw - the film both while working in the candy stand and when standing in the back as an usher.)

I don't think the Devon went to $2 until sometime after I quit in 1983.

I remember calling the Devon Theatre to hear whats playing and I remember at the end of the message. "Remember it pays to wait, the best movies at the best price come to the Devon. Thank you for calling the Devon Theatre"

One thing that stands out so distinctly in my memory is that I saw Raiders at the Devon not long after having seen "Dead and Buried" either at the Tyson or Crest, and being how I was so totally put off by "Dead and Buried" and the other rash of totally senseless horror films that came pouring out of Hollywood at that time, feeling so grateful to Stephen Spielberg for demonstrating with his "Raiders of the Lost Ark" that great filmmaking was still very much alive and well. It was also reassuring that when I saw "Dead and Buried" just a small handful of people were in attendance, but with Raiders showing at the Devon it was just totally packed with people. Both films, incidentally, were released in 1981, so given that it was probably in 1981 that I saw Raiders there, for I seriously doubt that "Dead and Buried" was rereleased in area theaters. As I recall, that horror movie pretty much marked the end of James Farantino's career and was a very sad last film for Jack Albertson to have made right before his death.

Other great movies I saw at the Devon, by the way, were "The Eye of the Needle" (1981) and "The Elephant Man" (1980). And they had fairly good crowds. But Raiders no doubt was custom made for the Northeast Philadelphia movie going audience, as the huge crowds it drew truly attested to. And that audience is still there, I believe. It just needs the right films is all...and, of course, a theater to see them at!

I think the Devon could still be in business today if it were run properly. You can't just open the doors and expect people to come. If the Devon were run as a second run movie house, I do believe it would make it. First off you as the owner/manager would have to be a "showman" and provide showmanship. You want to give the people who come to your theater something that they don't get at other theaters. Second , a great postive aditude one should have. Customers can tell that right off the bat. And if your an idiot, they can tell and they will vote with their feet and never return. Third, one should take a page out of Richard Wolfe's book (the owner of the Roxy theater in Northampton Pa.)and follow what he does. Then you will be a sucess. Four, remember people can see a lot more movies at 3 bucks a ticket then at 8 or 10 bucks a ticket. Sorry I am not the best writer when it comes to organizing my thoughts into sentences by I am sure you get my drift.

Theaterbuff says NO! There are no more discount or 2nd run houses in the immediate Philadelphia area. Multiplexes now have exclusives on movie, keep film as long as they want it. By time multiplexes no longer want film, it is on videotape or DVD and not enough paying customers. Devon owners kept the theater open as long as they could.

Devon is not going to be restored! It is being gutted!

Devon won't have film like a real moviehouse, in 35 mm! Theaterbuff saw many movies over many years at the Devon! That time is past.

Devon will open again, with live performances. That's good.

Oops.

It's hard to find someone like Wolfe to take the time and MONEY to run a theatre like the Devon. I don't think the days of your neighborhood theatre will every come back. To put that kind of money in that type of theatre would be wrong. If the Devon was in a small town with off street parking and no multiplexes close by it maybe a different story. To make it work the cost to redue the theatre and upgrade the booth, it would take forever to get your money back. I grew up going to the neighborhood theatres in my area and a least twice a mo. going to the city for the roadshoe pictures. BUT IT'S OVER and GONE NOT TO RETURN. Very sad but true. Just my thoughts

I have seen it return elsewhere, but it was someone that put a pile of money into a theater knowing full well he'd never get it back.

Jack Ferry and RG, how old are you?

John, Old enough to remember the good days of the movie theatres. The days of great Sat. Mat. double features, Sat. evening shows 6, 8 & 10pm. Cartoons before the show,2 reel shorts. When you were a guest not just a dollar sign. Then I grew up and became a projectionist at the Keswick theatre in Glenside. Ran cinerama after it left phila. Then when on to manage D-I's and hardtops in the Tri-state area. Life was GOOD.

I'm old enough that my favorite DVD set is the Harold Lloyd collection. (In my case that's 41.)

RG and I have something in common. I was a projectionist at the Mayfair. (Although admittedly that's not too impressive since it was a platter system with a xenon bulb, rather than the old carbon arc twin projectors. No watching for circles at the top of the frame or switching between reels for me!)

Jerry, When I was projectionist one of the neat things was looking through the porthole down on all the people waiting for the show to start. The aud. seats filled and the smell of popcorn. One theatre I managed had three projectors in the booth.

Maybe I'm getting to old. The above is Jack. sorry

Thats cool, sounds like you guys really enjoyed doing what you did. I enjoy reading both your posts on cinema treasures. You both have a lot of insight. Thank you for sharing it.

I agree rg; looking down from the booth was great. Working as an usher/projectionist/asst. manager/candy stand worker was a great high school job, and still the best job I ever had. Ironically, it was people like me that (in part) put the professional projectionists like rg out of a job. The owners put in a system that did not require manual switching between reels, then fired the projectionists. The manager then ran the projector. And when he wanted a day or two off, they paid me $2.85 an hour to do it.

At my theater (the Mayfair) they fired a projectionist that had been there 50 years.

And now comes digital cinema to shake the industry up again, while I find it very curious that there are no digital theaters in Philadelphia as of yet. Perhaps the man who's in charge of restoring a certain downtown movie palace, and who I'd rather not name, can explain this to us.

As for the Devon, I think it should become a live performance theater exclusively and forget about showing movies completely. Showing movie in this area should be reserved for the Mayfair and Pennypack Theatres if: A) By some miracle they survive (the Mayfair's currently being remade into a bank and the Pennypack into a mini mall); B) The insanity that's now governing (and overshadowing) Philadelphia at some point dissipates.

With the Devon being a live performance theater and the Mayfair and Pennypack being movie theaters, I think the three would be very complementary of one another. But we're in a major storm right now, so my saying this is bit like saying the front entrance of the beachfront hotel should be here, and the health/fitness center over to that side, and the outdoor amphitheater over there, while Katrina is bashing the coast full force. Though the ideas are totally practical, there is a right time and a wrong time to try to make them a reality.

Meantime, motion pictures exhibited in a well-run theater I see as the inherant successor to live stage, meaning that it would make perfect sense for the Devon to become a live performance theater for right now but without any movie theaters around in close proximity for the time being. Going by how successfully the Pennypack Bandshell was brought back to life, I have every faith that those currently in charge of restoring the Devon Theatre to become a live performance theater can pull it off. But movie theaters coming back to this area will all have to come later, and, of course, that's only if the Mayfair and Pennypack Theatres can survive the current blitzkreig. And who can predict when that will finally subside? I'm not going to try to, but others can attempt it if they so wish.

If I recall right all the buildings that were theatres in the area are gone (stores, med. office, fur or furniture store, etc). To buy one of these building and try to return it to a movie house would be be to costly and would the neighborhood support it?????? To build a new structure, well I don't think soooooo. The old Esquire on broad st. at Olney Ave. has been store for a very long time. The store that was in it close (a golden opertunity to turn it back into a theatre) but a fried chicken store is in it now. Just down the street is the old Logan. Once a beautiful theatre, close, a church now falling apart. Soon it will come under the wrecking ball if someone doesn't buy it soon (bad roof). I guess we will have to live with are memories and be happy for that.

I've seen new movies digitally projected in other cities. The quality seems no better and no worse than 35 mm projection. Digital projectors are very expensive. I've not kept track as to how many cities they are in and whether only certain exhibitors (movie theater chains) have used them, so I can't answer for sure as to why not in Philadelphia yet. Eventually, digital projectors will replace 35 mm for all new movies.

If I read correctly a comment on the Pacific (Hollywood, Los Angeles) page, then the industry is testing digital projection for a classic film, South Pacific. There are often very few, sometimes just one, print available of a classic film, so this could have advantages IF the quality is up to par. There's been no report that technology can yet compare to a 70 mm experience.

Digital projection, of course, shouldn't be confused with videotapes or DVDs. The digital projectors a few movie auditoriums use have more resolution/pixels/etc. than a tape or DVD.

A Digital projector is just that a projector and any type of signal can be feed into it. Sat. signal, dvd, computer etc. The projector resolution is much higher than your ind. or home theatre units. But like all the units it's what you put into it that counts. Garbage in garbage out. One of the big problems light output to fill a large theatre screen and color reproduction (flesh tones). Granted it is the future but maybe not next week.

I believe the Loews Jersey page has some other comments about digital projection, and some other people also disliking it. As I said, I've seen films presented from the expensive units in other cities, and looked ok to me. I mean the DLP etc, equipment, NOT DVD's. Maybe I'm just not noticing whatever problems there are.

I saw a videotape Clint Eastwood movie at Philadelphia's Trocadero but it didn't look well on the big screen. It was free, but still not worthwhile for me.


For classic films, I've rejected any calls for anything less than 35 MM at the Boyd (at least until classics are put into digital format for the expensive digital projectors). We shouldn't be showing DVDs with the quality they have now. It isn't easy to return real film projection to a theater that primarily needs live shows to fill the seats, but we are volunteering hard towards that goal!

Those who manufacture digital cinema projectors for Texas Instruments have deals where they cover the full financing of a theater's switching over to digital. Of course, there's a good reason for this, because it is still very experimental. Many theater operators are afraid of making the switchover otherwise, which in many ways I think is a fear of a repeat of what happened with Betamax v. VHS. And in Hollywood there's ongoing disputes as to what should become the industry standard, especially with Sony and others coming forth with digital projection systems not compatable with Texas Instruments'. Add to this that if LED and plasma screen technology develops more it could well do away with the need for a projector completely, though that's still a long ways down the road. What I'd like to see is something similar to how PanaVision works it. With PanaVision, you can't buy their equipment, only lease it. But at least with this you're guaranteed a constant upgrade when it's needed.

It'll probably take George Lucas (or someone similar) requiring digital projection in order to show a particular movie before there's widespread adoption of digital projection. (Lucas had specific audio requirements for a theater before they could show the new Star Wars films. Many theater owners paid for expensive upgrades as a result.)

Guess we're at about 5 posts now since the Devon was mentioned, so I'll mention it.

When 3D movies came back in 1981-1983, the Devon ran one (I think called "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone") because the Devon had an actual silver screen. (It would have played at the Mayfair, but no silver screen there.) In order to run a 3D movie, a special lens must be put on the projector, extra care must be taken with focus, etc. I don't know what the projectionist did, but the movie was horribly out of focus and out of sync when I saw it, and you could not see any 3D effect or anything resembling a picture. Complaints were ignored, and most people eventually got up and walked out. I got in for free, but still walked out.

Since the Devon Theatre of the future is to be for live performances only, the issue of digital -- or 3D for that matter -- is not to be a worry. But what the Devon will have to worry about are all the questionable new developments occuring around it, whether it be Tacony Pointe or whatever else. Which is what I've been looking at in addition to the possibilities of various area theaters being restored. By rights, before anything positive gets introduced around here, these things should get resolved first. For how will the Devon play out if this isn't done? And right now, rather than these other issues -- which will have an impact on the Devon -- being resolved properly, it's just the opposite. It's the same as saying that building an amphitheater on the deck of the Titanic is a great idea....but just when it's striking the iceberg?

TheaterBuff1: What area theatres could be restored. The structure that are left are stores, etc. NO ONE is going to build a NEW one from the ground up. It's over!

In my area (Lebanon/Dauphin counties) they're building all kinds of new theaters. After having no theaters for several years, they just started building a new 12 screen multiplex in Lebanon, and a 10 screen is planned for across town. There's also at least 1 huge multiplex planned for Harrisburg. Can't say I like the multiplexs too much, but it's (marginally) better than nothing.

Every single one of the area theater buildings Northeast Philadelphia has could be restored as theaters. And most certainly this would be a lot less expensive than building an all new one from the ground level up. And I'm talking about restoring them as single screen theaters, of course. For forget multiplexes! Gahhhhhh! And what's stopping it from happening? Several things, the biggest thing of all being that Northeast Philadelphia, because it is part of Philadelphia, is under Center City Philadelphia's oppressive political thumb, and Center City has other ideas for this part of the city -- really really stupid ideas I might add, given how beautiful this part of the city could be otherwise. Center City Philadelphia is currently governing Northeast Philadelphia with knowing next to nothing about it. Thus it's governing Northeast Philadelphia very colonialistically. Whenever it's called upon for help in exchange for all the taxes Northeast Philadelphia pays to it, it takes the wrong side always. It never misses a mark. In essence Northeast Philadelphia is Center City's "whipping boy." and at present Northeast Philadelphia is taking it all sitting down. If that changes and Northeast Philadelphia decides to fight for Northeast Philadelphia, don't worry, I can assure you our historic theater buildings up here WILL be restored as classy neighborhood movie theaters once more. I'll see to it personally!

The present owners and business owners of these buildings are not going to sell, move or close what is making money to return it to a theatre. Look at the old GGC theatre on the Blvd. in the N/E. GGC closed it. It sat forever empty and at one point it was going to be turned into a school. Now it's ready for the wrecking ball do to the fire. Look at Franklin Mills Mall theatre IT'S NOW A CHURCH. It's a LOST cause.

If you have firsthand familiarity with the GCC Northeast you most certainly wouldn't expect the story of that theater to have played out any differently than it had. Not only was it never ever a classy theater, but it was designed so poorly that there's no possible way it could ever be transformed to be. Have you ever known anyone who, no matter how hard they tried, could never possibly hope to be a singer? Well, the same exact thing could be said architectually of whoever designed that theater. To list that theater in an intelligent discussion of Northeast Philadelphia theaters would be the same as attempting to discuss Andrea Bocelli, William Hung, Placido Domingo and Luciano Paveratti in the same breath. That is, if Northeast Philadelphia theaters are going to be discussed intelligently, the GCC Northeast cannot even be mentioned.

At the opposite extreme, the Holme/Pennypack, Mayfair and Tyson Theatres are significant works of art which are forced to be otherwise given the hands they're currently in. They're part of the other Northeast Philadelphia that few people, not even the top experts in Center City, even know about.

As for the Devon Theatre, while that, too, is not in the same league as those other three, I believe it will make for a half decent live performing arts theater when its restoration is completed -- whenever that will be. But as theater buildings go it is not all that valuable architecturally. With those other three, however, we're basically talking "Cinderella," though it's hard to tell it right now with all the "chimney soot" they're currently caked under.

"Works of art" theaters are distinguished by the fact that if they're torn down they cannot be replaced. As is true with all genuine works of art, they have a life and soul within them, and unto themselves, so much so that, when they get demolished, the crime of this is right up there with murder itself. And it all has to do with their being so irreplaceable once they're gone. And when they're misused -- which is how I feel it is right now -- I place it in the same league as slavery itself. And why not, given the fact that the Holme/Pennypack Theatre WAS designed by William Harold Lee and the Mayfair and Tyson Theatres WERE designed by David Sopowitz, both men ranking very high among the 20th century's top movie theater architects -- as this Cinema Treasures website will readily confirm. Can we allow business and politics to overshadow that fact?

We think of Northeast Philadelphia right now over all as being this easily writable off wasteland, yet without knowing all the actual facts about it. We see it this way now due to its current very beat up state and the lack of recognition it rightfully deserves. And with few if any fighting for the soul of it. To the artists of Center City, Northeast Philadelphia, with all its architectural and other wealth, is but a world unknown, an untapped but exciting new frontier for them -- provided that aspect doesn't all get totally destroyed by the time they do learn of it. And to be sure there are many people in Northeast Philadelphia, in positions of power in Northeast Philadelphia but who are not actually of it, who are quite fiercely determined to see that they and the architectural experts of Center City -- and elsewhere -- never do learn of it, that it can fully be destroyed with sprawl and other poorly thought out unscrupulous development by the time they finally do learn of it.

As for the bank that's going to be taking over the Mayfair Theatre building making money, that is yet to be seen, just as is true of the new stores that will be filling out the mini mall the Holme/Pennypack Theatre building is currently being converted into. For the Eckerds Pharmacy that previously occupied the Mayfair Theatre building clearly wasn't making any money, nor was the Daley's Furniture and Appliance Store that previously occupied the Holme/Pennypack Theatre building. As for the furniture store that currently occupies the Tyson Theatre building, that does look like it's doing well, and that might actually be the case, but not necessarily. Outward appearances can be very deceiving. For who knew just how much the Eckerds Pharmacy was hurting in its last days? To everyone, including me, its closing came as a sudden and unexpected surprise. And that could just as easily happen in the Tyson Theatre building's case, or not, who really knows right now?

QUICK CORRECTION:

The architect who designed the Mayfair and Tyson was David Supowitz, not Sopowitz. Sorry about the typo!

TheaterBuff1: It's TIME to get real! This area will never return to the way it was theatre style. It's over and in the PAST. Be thankful the Devon is being saved. You only theatre left to SAVE is the Art Holiday. Put your effort into that theatre.

I would add that Theaterbuff1's photos of current exteriors of Mayfair and Holmes theaters adds to our history and documentation of our theaters, and of our changing neighborhoods. I would encourage him to continue to photograph those theaters as their uses change, and other theaters, too and post such photos online (linking to this website) and provide copies of those photos to places like the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the Central Library of Free Library of Philadelphia's Theatre Collection, and the Theatre Historical Society of America (by print, CD, etc.). Future generations should know what happenned to each theater, and see photos of any surviving original features such as marquee, poster cases,etc. That service is invaluable.

Tell me what the Art Holiday is like. I know its an X-rated theater. Does anyone know anything about it...when it was built, prior names, etc. etc.?

Rg, it's not that you and I are in total disagreement, as I understand where you're coming from in that you're basing what you say on how things are here and now. And basing everything on that you couldn't possibly be more right in what you say. And no one can predict when or if that situation will ever change. Which leads me to say that your idea is excellent, Howard (and glad to see we're on positive terms again!), in that at the very least for now we can document all we can of Philadelphia's theaters past so that knowledge of this won't be lost completely, and, of course, with the remote possibility that at some future date things do actually change. Meaning that whatever knowledge we compile now might prove very useful when those of the future seek to recreate what had been lost. Needless to say, I have plenty of photos I've taken of closed down theaters here in Northeast Philadelphia -- including of the Devon -- that I would like to provide links to, while right now the only link I have is for just a few of the many I took of the Holme/Pennypack last year, which can be seen at this link: Http://www.flickr.com/photos/TheaterBuff1/

As for the Art Holiday, John, I've been wondering what the story is on that myself, as years ago I used to pass it by regularly on the Market-Frankford elevated, its green neon sign brightly lit up at night. And what used to amuse me as I look back now was that the el stop it was closest to was called "Church"! And it was one of the stops along the el that no one, unless they absolutely had to, would get off at -- boarded up stores, drug dealers on every corner, etc. Meaning that I'd be totally surprised if that theater is even still open. So Rg, if you have any info on what the latest on that theater is please share it with us. This site doesn't even have it listed, so maybe you could research and provide a Cinema Treasures page for it.

TheaterBuff1: Any photos of the Devon. Would like to see what it looked like.

TheaterBuff1: nice pictures of the Holmes/Pennypack. Very much ashame the way it looks and the care its been given. Probably was a beautiful place in its time.

I agree with what Theaterbuff1 says in the first paragraph above, especially the "remote possibility" that things will change. It certainly isn't impossible that a theater building could again be reused as a theater in the future. At this point in time, most theaters have a greater chance of being reused for live performance or church than for daily single screen cinema.

We have found photos of the Boyd over time to be invaluable for its restoration, as well as documentation of its history, and our public relations campaign. We are still seeking and obtain such photos.

You will find Art Holiday on this site, but search under Holiday Art, and you can issue your comments on that page. I found it by google "Art Holiday Philadelphia cinema treasures" and found its title in this website.

Fortunately in the case of the Devon the photos I have of it are likely very unflattering in relation to how it will look when fully restored, and the only reason why I took them when I did (last October) was to see if that theater might have ideas that would prove useful for the Holme/Pennypack Theatre's restoration. For of all historic theater buildings still in existence here in Northeast Philadelphia, the Holme/Pennypack is by far the most significant of them all. But see, because of the time when it was built, which was right at the onset of the Great Depression, it never got to be all that its architect, William Harold Lee, had intended it to be. All through the Depression years it was operated in a very watered down sort of way, and by the time newer communities to its south rose up, Mayfair especially, it was all but forgotten. And to this day there are people who for whatever reasons (though certainly none level-headed) are fiercely determined to block the Holme/Pennypack from ever being properly restored. It's a much larger theater building than either the Mayfair or the Tyson, and it dwarfs the Devon completely. Furthermore, it was designed especially wide by W.H. Lee in anticipation of wide-screen Cinerama format for future generations, but which it never got to see.

As for the community of Holmesburg itself, where this theater building stands, long before there was what we call Philadelphia's Main Line today, Holmesburg itself had been Philadelphia's original Main Line. And a much better one at that I might add. For as such it was home to the man who invented the ready-made suit which revolutionized the whole garment industry (making it so suddenly the common man could afford to dress as nicely as society's wealthiest), and it was home to Baldwin of Baldwin Locomotive fame. Actress Ethel Barrymore (Drew's great aunt) grew up in and attended a private girl's school here in Holmesurg. And prior to and all during the Civil War, it had been home to some of America's leading Abolitionists. In fact, right behind the Holme/Pennypack Theatre there's an African American community with roots tracing directly to that era -- their having been given safe refuge there by my ancestors and others. And just caticorner to the Holme Pennypack Theatre stands an historic colonial house dating to the late 1600s that had belonged to various members of Philadelphia's Peale family. Rembrandt Peale did his most famous self-portrait in the attic of that house, and "The Staircase Group," a painting by Charles Willson Peale that today is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art originally hung in its parlor, while the staircase it depicts is part of it. And legend has it that George Washington, in his latter years, and when his eyesight was failing, stopped by that house one day on one of his many visits to it, and he tipped his hat to that painting, thinking the figures it showed were for real. And Holmesburg, of course, is home to the oldest stone arch bridge in the country. Another thing I should point out, when Holmesurg was in its rightful place of glory, Kensington, which is where the Art Holiday Theatre is, was not in the hopelessly impoverished state it is in today, that is, not when the wealthy industrialists of Holmesburg held reign over it. All that came later, when Philadelphia's Main Line of today came into being. But when Holmesburg was in charge, Kensington thrived.

As for why anyone would want to prevent Holmesburg from rising up again to its former glory -- with properly restoring the Holme/Pennypack Theatre building as a classy single-screen neighborhood theater being a huge step in that direction -- you got me. For Philadelphia's Main Line of today certainly isn't doing anything worthwhile these days. And did it ever? Look at how miserable and rundown Kensington and North Philadelphia and so on are, and you tell me.

Work was being done yesterday (March 10, 2006) on the Devon. Work crews were all under the former marquee. Wasn't able to see if anyone was inside doing work since that is all closed off. But they are at it again.

Well that's certainly very good news to hear! I am curious, though, to know what sort of live performances it will present when completed, given how "live performance" can mean a whole variety of different things ranging from concerts (classical, rock, rap, hiphop, jazz, etc.) to stage plays to musicals to operas to dance reviews to magic shows and so forth and so on. In determining this, I presume the restorers of the Devon are conferring with the residents of Mayfair constantly. Or...is that just another case of "dream on" on my part?

Revelations on what the latest is with the Devon Theatre can be seen at the following link:

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/showthread.php?t=2352

But whether any of it will pan out to be true is yet to be seen, of course.

The new marquee has been installed. Unfortunately it is not the older one with the big red letter style.

Its one more with easier changing letters. Being black on a white background. Print seems to be pretty small though and appears to me to be "too busy" to be able to alert those of what is going on as they go up and down Frankford Avenue.

Photos from its last season (for classics) have appeared at http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=6951

Does any else have photos? If so, please share them.

Howard, the design of the Devon Theatre, at least exterior-wise, was never particularly exciting. In fact, given how dull its exterior design is is why for so many years it could pull off being an adult movie house so close to residential areas with little to no public outcry. Back when I was in high school in the late '60s it was an adult theater that was simply where it was with a very high degree of invisibility. Had it been the Mayfair Theatre, the Merben or even the Orleans, no way could it have pulled off having such invisibility. Meaning, I think its most exciting era is still ahead of it -- and, of course, no one has photos of that just yet. Those currently restoring it, though, might have renderings projecting how it should look when it's fully restored -- PA House Speaker John Perzel and so on. So why not check with them to see if they have any renderings they'd like to make public? For with Perzel's recent reelection I would think the full completion of restoring this theater now holds top priority. (Or at least I would hope so, given the long length of time the voting public has been kept on hold awaiting its grand reopening, this time around to be a live entertainment venue.)

I checked the web site in question, but there was a note, but no link whatsoever. Someone's been sleeping in the web page building room methinks.

This just in: The Devon Live Performing Arts Theatre will have its grand opening on Saturday, September 20, 2341 from noon till 6pm! There will be a Philly string band performing and free refreshments for everyone! So mark it on your calendars, folks!

Sarcasm. Such a bee-you-tee-full thing.

Now that Pennsylvania's State Representative John Perzel -- who's credited with the Devon restoration project (there's a poster plastered on its front entrance saying as much) -- is no longer the state's House Speaker, it's not clear yet where the Devon Theatre's future now stands. I truly hope the project continues going forward (although it would help if it could do so a lot more quickly) but there's no telling right now where this whole thing stands exactly. Anybody who knows anything about this should post what they know here. For I, along with countless others, am totally clueless.

He continues as a leading member of the state house.

So, what is the up to date news on the Devon, how are things progressing?

Also, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, who I believe is also credited with the Devon's ongoing restoration (though I'm not 100% sure about that), just officially announced that she's going to run for yet another term rather than retire as she originally planned.

As for Perzel's still being a "leading member of the state house," at this point that is totally questionable. The title he now holds is "speaker emeritus." But is that actually an official title? Or simply a fabricated-on-the-spot one laced with a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor, a consolation prize as it were?

In any event, rumor has it that the great granddaughter of Joanna Pacitti (who hasn't even been born yet) will officiate the grand ribbon cutting when the Devon finally reopens to the public, sometime just after the year 2500 I believe...

Oops! Great, great, great granddaughter of Joanna Pacitti I meant to say. Reading about the Devon Theatre and all we're supposed to be excited about makes me sleepy, very very sleepy. So just pardon the barely awake typo. I'm certain I got the year right, though.

Anymore up to date news on the Devon?

Though I haven't heard anything specific -- and given the current state of politics, organized religion, the press and the local blogs around here I'm not likely to -- now that Pennsylvania State Representative John Perzel is no longer House Speaker it's probably safe to say the Devon Theatre restoration project as a live arts entertainment venue is now officially dead in the water.

For I can pretty much guarantee the new House Speaker, Dennis O'Brian -- who's also from Northeast Philadelphia -- has no interest in this project going forward. You can write or call his office, or that of Perzel, or Philadelphia City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, or the Mayfair CDC organization, or whoever else, but I can pretty much guarantee you won't get any replies. Nor will anyone who tries to step in and take over where Perzel left off get very far.

As for sound explanations for all this? Your guess is as good as mine. But usually when things get all hushed up this way the explanations behind it are more likely of a sinister rather than positive nature. Hey, why do you think Phoenix just surpassed Philadelphia in population size, making Philadelphia now America's 6th largest city? People don't stay around places that turn this way if they can help it.

This article appeared in the Northeast Times for July 26, 2007, telling the latest on the Devon restoration:

http://www.northeasttimes.com/2007/0726/devon.html

A photo showing a nice looking new marquee appeared with the print article in the NE Times.

Thanks for telling us, since I and many other Northeast Philadelphia residents didn't receive that edition of the Northeast Times. That's how it often is with that particular newspaper. Sometimes it gets delivered, sometimes not. Go figure. Maybe it's local politics or something, I don't know, but the only way I found out about this newest leg in the Devon saga was by visiting the Northeast Times website where they only provide the text of their articles and not the accompanying photos that often go with them. So regarding the photo that goes with this article, perhaps you can scan and post it so all can see it? Thanks

Exterior photo from this month,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisinphilly5448/1055991868/

Exterior shown last night on Fox TV Channel 29 news as part of story on closure of AMC Orleans 8:

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=8D4B8863F1A6AB96540E8856C148C9C3?contentId=4253391&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

Vintage exterior photo that I see recently was placed online:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smokey2006/2245159491/

Point of curiosity: Did the taker of this photo -- showing the Devon during its successful swing as a great neighborhood movie theater -- know what was awaiting ahead? What motivated them to take this photo, I wonder?

Cool vintage picture of the Devon.

Yes it is, John, but doesn't the nature of that photo strike you as a bit peculiar? To the average person, I being one at the time when that photo was taken, no one was aware that Northeast Philadelphia's long-existing single-screen theaters were an endangered species in any way. And it does not seem that that photo was shot for any artistic reasons. There's nothing artistic about it -- except that in hindsight it now serves as view back into the past. But who among average Northeast Philadelphia citizens had that hindsight at that time? I sure didn't.

As a photographer myself, I take pictures of things I believe to be things of permanence, but only for artistic reasons. But this photo looks like a "hit" photo. For what transpired after that photo was taken? One minute the theater was successful, the next, all this craziness. And is there a link between this photo that was taken when it was successful and all that craziness that followed?

It's clearly not an owner taken photo. Rather, it was shot from a car that stopped briefly, took the photo, and then headed on. As if to say whoever took it was assigned to take it. Assigned by Pennsylvania State Representative John Perzel perhaps? Based on what followed next, that's what I'm guessing...

I'm not sure who woke you up. But I think I speak for the majority of Cinema Treasures readers in asking you to cease and desist with your conspiracy theories. We get it, you don't like John Perzel. I get the feeling that Arlen Specter is more to your liking. Not a personal attack, but a perception based upon your past posts and the current path of investigation Sen Specter is taking in regards to the NFL.

But please. No one cares. Just stop it. Stop picking fights like some child on a school yard. Stop wasting the valuable bandwidth that Cinema Treasures.

I meant to finish my request by saying that " Stop wasting the valueable bandwidth that Cinema Treasures has for pictures and great memories of these theatres."

The trend on this site has become troubling. Personal attacks are just that PERSONAL. I have to take this public because people don't put up email addresses.

Please. Turn your computer off.

I AGREE rg

Just to come straight to the point, that's ridiculous, you guys. We have a serious problem here in Northeast Philadelphia that has got to be gotten to the other side, of while your outlook is, "No, just let the creeps walk free." The other day I had a visitor to here, and you know, it was outright embarrassing to point out to that visitor this old theater building and that in passing, saying how great these theaters we had around here used to be, but now look at it.

So listen up. When things go wrong, when we get morons in power instead of intelligent people, resulting in the vanishing of our theaters in this instance, that's the time to speak up, not shut up, so in that regard you guys aren't helping things any.

I would like to know what really happened here theater-wise. And how am I supposed to find that out if I just go quiet? You criticize me for making "personal attacks," but just to set the record straight, when a bunch of morons take over a community in which I have very deep roots, and put crap in place of what had been classy before, well it doesn't get any more personal than that. John Perzel, who has a great deal of influence here in Northeast Philadelphia right now, is a moron. So, too, is single-bullet-theory Arlen Spector. That's why we're getting crap here instead of great things happening. Ask Reese Hatley, the one currently in charge of restoring the Devon, or at least he's trying to, he'll tell you. Anyone around here who's honest will tell you what I'm telling you. You guys are lashing out at me blind to the fact that I'm one of the good guys. I say if you're going to lash out, do so where it's warranted. And John Perzel definitely needs some serious lashing out against right now. So if you're going to be harshly critical, direct your harsh criticisms at him, not me.

The problem isn't necessarily your political views, the problem is your choice of forum. www.phillyblog.com or a similar site would present a more appropriate soapbox.

I came across the site posted on 6/7/05 and was wondering if there has been any progress towards turning this into an arts center. Any news?

Nope. Welcome to Philly...

However, since he no longer lives here, you might want to ask Jack Ferry, since he seems to be privy to what any of us living here are not permitted to know.

Hmmm. Not quite sure what to say to that.

As if maybe you have to consult with someone else first perhaps? If I'm not mistaken I think you just said as much in an unintentional way.

What I do to ruffle your feathers?
Or are you just one of those ornery old cusses that likes to attack people that won't go along with everything they say?
Nevermind. I think I answered my own question.

To everyone else: sorry for wasting valuable bandwidth on stuff that has nothing to do with Cinema Treasures. (So if I don't respond to whatever follows this posting, you'll know why.)

It's hard to read, but the photo on Google maps shows the marquee saying something about a performing arts center coming soon. I guess that's been on there a while.

Thats a safe assumption. This photo was posted by HowardBHaas on Aug 20, 2007 and the marquee read the same thing at that time.

Given that the marquee was sponsored by my alma mater, I now understand the sloth.

Jack, of the two of us, I'm not the one with feathers, in reference to speaking the truth about the Devon, which, if I'm not mistaken, is a Cinema Treasures' topic. So was that another Freudian slip on your part or what? You know things about this that you're not telling, while I'd be curious to know if you know what Rich Costello's position on it is, he being the former Philadelphia F.O.P. president who's going to be running against Perzel in the fall (2008 -- my making a special point to give the date in this instance as I'm sure we'll be having this same discussion 100 years from now, "Anything new on the Devon?")

Meantime, it seems odd to me that Drexel University, which is in a whole other universe, is sponsoring the Devon's alleged restoration.

But then, what isn't odd in this particular Cinema Treasures' story? We could go on to say that Ho Chi Minh XIII plans to emcee the opening ceremonies in 2135, of course. To which we could all say, "Why yes! Of course!" That's how odd this whole Devon Theatre story is.

Anyone hear anything lately about the status of the Devon project?

I attended the Devon when it was first built.
I was wondering if anyone else out there was around at that time.
I remember Ed, Bill, Mary, Chickie, Norman Jean, Peggy, Ray, Joan, and others who grew up around Levick and Erdrick Sts.
Memories are great.!

It looks as though the Devon is set for a 2009 re-opening.

A new website is up, so please add this to the above information...


www.devontheatre.org

Website is actually www.devontheater.org

oops. Thanks Jack! appreciate it.

The Grand Opening has been announced and set for March 27, 2009! Here's the official new release:

PHILADELPHIA, PA, JANUARY 21, 2009 - "The Mayfair Community Development Corporations Chairman of the Board Reese Hartey, Officers, Board of Directors, and staff in association with operating partner Fuse Management Inc., is proud to announce the long awaited and much anticipated Grand Opening of the DEVON Theater for Performing Arts, slated for Friday, March 27th 2009. The invitation only black tie gala will begin with a Red Carpet Open House from 6:00-7:00 P.M., followed by speeches from esteemed guests and entertainment hosted by CBS 3 anchor Pat Ciarrocchi from 7:00-9:00 P.M. The evening will conclude with a Theater Party from 9:00-11:00 for those in attendance. The Devon Theater for the Performing Arts is located at 6333 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19135-3033.

Following the Grand Opening Gala, the DEVON is opening its doors to the public on Saturday, March 28th with the hit comedy musical "Nunsense," quoted by the New York Times as "A hail of fun and frolic like the holy mother church, Nunsense is a bona fide institution."

"Nunsense" is the first of many local professional theatrical productions in the works for the DEVON. In addition to in-house theatrical productions the Devon will also present concerts, comedians, family attractions, dance, educational programs, as well as provide the theatre for rent to businesses, community groups, families, promoters, and faith based organizations. "We believe the community is the heartbeat of this theater and will engage them not only as patrons but also participants in as many ways as imaginable," says Artistic Director, Michael Pickering.

The DEVON Revitalization Project is the result of passionate dedication from the Mayfair CDC and numerous individuals and organizations that have worked tirelessly on behalf of the community of Mayfair. Special recognition and appreciation to State Representative John Perzel, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, State Senator Tina Tartaglione, and Councilwoman Joan Krajewski who's combined vision sparked the Devon Revitalization Project. Special Thanks to Governor Edward G. Rendell and the State of Pennsylvania along with Mayor Michael Nutter and the City of Philadelphia who have generously given their passion and support to the project. Continuous support from State Representative Michael McGeehan, State Senator Michael Stack, and the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades, has all combined for the completion of a very exciting and dynamic project.

"With the City in economic crisis it will be a tremendous positive to see the DEVON Revitalization Project completed, and new life blown into the Mayfair business corridor along Frankford Avenue. The Mayfair CDC has fought long and hard to make this dream a reality in the Northeast and their persistence has paid off. A project of this size would have taken most organizations 10 or 20 years to complete what the MCDC has done in 4 years. I am a proud supporter of the MCDC and of this tremendous project." Quoted Councilwoman Joan Krajewski.

"The creation of jobs, the revitalization of a business corridor, and the infusion of art into the community, who could ask for more?" said State Representative John Perzel. "I have proudly stood by and supported Reese Hartey and the Mayfair CDC since day one of this project, and am excited to have something of this magnitude happening in our community. They have had a tremendous impact on both the commercial and residential sections of Mayfair and are to be commended for their constant example of community leadership."

Thalheimer & Weitz, who were part of the team that designed City Hall and the Philadelphia Bourse, originally built the Devon in 1946 to serve the community as a movie theater. The DEVON is now a state-of-the-art 400 seat live performing arts center and will fulfill the need for an arts and entertainment venue in the Mayfair community and surrounding region.

For more information, Contact: Michael Pickering / Artistic Director
Devon Theater for the Performing Arts
6333 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19135-3033
646-275-9505 direct
215-338-6300 office
215-338-6302 fax
mpickering@devontheater.org
www.devontheater.org

If you google exactly "Boxoffice January 3, 1948" and then enter 104 in the page box, you will see a photo of the Devon auditorium facing Proscenium (curtained screen).

Thanks, Howard. I think the date issue date is actually January 31, 1948 and it's page 145. Here's the link I used: http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_013148/145

When I worked at the Mayfair in the late 70s/early 80s they had a subscription to BoxOffice magazine and I loved reading it. I didn't realize it went back so long.

Jack, it DOES appear in the January 3 issue. It also appears in your link. It is an ad. Your link's text is clearer, so thanks.

Thought that might be the case, Howard. I searched all over for the January 3 issue and couldn't find it. The old issues of BoxOffice found on issuu.com are really interesting. One more thing that I can spend far too long doing.

Philadelphia Inquirer story on the reopening here.

1983 photo of the Devon Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c38%2c3%2c2268&ProductID=33147

Here is a photo from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/qwnhha

I guess I will have to open a photobucket account and copy my Irvin Glazer book to the photbucket and start linking away.

Anyone that wants to see hi-res versions of these photos can sign up for a free PAB account and view as many of them as they want.

That takes away the fun of distorting them.

On 9/25/09, I attended a performance of " Little Shop of Horrors" at the Devon. Ashamedly it was my first time back in the venue since the re-opening and let me say I am very impressed with the work done with the place.

Clean, bright and well kept. The only resembelance to the old days of the theatre were the skid row set on the stage. Heh.

When a friend saw I attended, he lamented missing out and joked about worrying if his feet would stick to the floors. But no, should the situation present itself, I would gladly attend the Devon again. They have alot of great stuff planned for 2009-2010 and beyond. I wish them the best and am happy that the naysayers were proven wrong.

The cutbacks in the arts funding in PA has hit the Devon as they've cancelled the remainder of thier season for 2009-2010.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/howard_shapiro/20091117_Devon_Theater_cancels_season__citing_state_cuts.html

Never should have put Drexel on the marquee. Bad luck.

The Drexel name had nothing to do with the economy and the State budget cuts.